Games™ Issue 103
Issue 103 is priced at £4.50 Previews Test Drive Unlimited 2 - Xbox 360, PS3, PC Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds - Xbox 360, PS3 F.E.A.R. 3 - Xbox 360, PS3, PC Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon - Xbox 360, PS3 Fight Night Champion - Xbox 360, PS3 Mortal Kombat - Xbox 360, PS3 Homefront - Xbox 360, PS3, PC El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron - Xbox 360, PS3 Mega Man Universe - Xbox 360, PS3 Knights Contract - Xbox 360, PS3 Features Discuss:- :Randy Pitchford - Duke Nukem Forever :Jerouen D. Stout - Dinner Date Bioshock: Infinite - Ken Levine and Tim Gerritsen interviewed Batman: Arkham City - Cover Feature Keita Takahashi Interview To Hell and Back: Runic Games 10 Games that Sealed their Creators Fate. Industry: The Players - Peter Collier (Bizarre Creations) Reviews 'Snippets' Call of Duty: Black Ops - 9/10 - Who's top dog now? :Treyarch has proven that it's got the stones to compete with Infinity Ward, or perhaps more aptly, complement it. Rock Band 3 - 9/10 - Harmonix's rivals have a lot to learn. :There's a gaping chasm between how you've enjoyed music games before and what Rock Band 3 offers. Fable III - 7/10 - Two thirds of a great game. :All of the areas where the game truly excels are exactly what we expect from the series, and from Lionhead as a studio. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II - 5/10 - A supergiant that has burned out too soon. :TFU II feels like a series of unfulfilled and broken promises that could kill the franchise. Final Fantasy XIV - 4/10 - An unfinished fantasy. :Given time you'll begin to see through the haze of a billion perfectly rendered polygons and Final Fantasy nostalgia. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - 9/10 - Another classic creed. Oh, how much they've learned. :Assassin's Creed 2.5 it may be, it's a perfect reminder of how a careful, iterative approach can be as rewarding as blithely flinging ideas around. Kinect Sports - 6/10 - Better than Kinect Adventures, but falls short. Kinect Adventures - 5/10 - An inauspicious start for Kinect. Sonic Colours - 8/10 - Arguably the holy grail of 3D Sonic games. God of War: Ghost of Sparta - 8/10 - Like watching your favourite film for the 100th time. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit - 9/10 - Crash, bang, wallop - what a videogame. :It won't be long before you're throwing the back end out to perform almost OutRun 2-level fist-pumping drifts. Donkey Kong Country Returns - 8/10 - Like the last 14 years never happened. :Elegantly blends a deep-held respect for its subject matter with a masterful appreciation of two-dimensional platform game craftsmanship. The Ball - 7/10 - Expertly made and thoroughly engaging. Super Scribblenauts - 7/10 - Major improvements create new problems. James Bond 007: Blood Stone - 5/10 - The games bland. Shaun White Skateboarding - 6/10 - Irritating, but ultimately enjoyable. Time Crisis: Razing Storm - 4/10 - Time for a series rethink. TV Superstars - 2/10 - Truly dire - will probably sell two million copies. The Fight - 3/10 - More kick in the pants than punch in the face. The Shoot - 7/10 - Aims to please. Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom - 7/10 - A truly charming fairytale. :An adventure that anyone but the most black-souled gamer will feel compelled to see through to the end credits. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 - 7/10 - Clever design let down by technical faults. NBA Jam - 8/10 - The most fun sports game you'll play all year. Super Meat Boy - 9/10 - The best traditional platform game in years. Costume Quest - 5/10 - Not quite in fashion. Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City - 9/10 - Still unique, two sequels later. A Shadow's Tale - 7/10 - An original concept let down by misjudged combat. Goldeneye 007 - 7/10 - An enjoyable throwback to a simpler time. 'Table' Retro Behind the Scenes: Jet Set Radio Collector's Corner: Lucky Dime Caper starring Donald Duck, The Year in Review: 1974 - Extended Play - Tank! Conversion Catastrophe: Rainbow Islands - Master System Coding Back the Years: Feature on programmers who produce games on abandoned systems. External Links You can purchase this magazine from the Imagine Shop Issue Index